Research paper

FACE-NEGOTIATION THEORY CHUN ZHOU, WEDNESDAY, 04 /12/2017 IN THE NEWS  Passenger dragged off United flight : a conflict situation • Who was/were facing the conflict in this situation? • How did each side deal with the conflict? Was the conflict finally resolved ? • Conflict management styles are different across individuals and contexts THE ORIGIN OF THE THEORY  Author: Stella Ting-Toomey, a communication scholar  Objective approach  Socio- psychological tradition: how cultural differences influence our conflict management style FAC E  In situations with conflict, we all need to deal with the concept of “face”  Face is a metaphor for our projected self- image, or our identity in a relational situation • Positive face: our need to be liked, appreciated, admired • Negative face: our need to act freely, be uninhibited, say whatever we want  Our face can be threatened or called into question, which inevitably leads to conflicts FACEWORK/FACE-MAINTENANCE  We all have the need to maintain and restore face loss, and to uphold and honor face gain • Facework /face-maintenance refers to specific verbal and nonverbal communications that help to do so  When we face a conflict, we are facing the question: whose face are you trying to maintain?

• Self-face: face restoration • Other- face: face giving • Mutual -face: both  Face-restoration • The self- concerned facework strategy used to preserve autonomy and defend against loss of personal freedom • To justify one’s actions or blame the situation/somebody else  Face-giving • The other -concerned facework strategy used to defend and support another person’s need for inclusion • To take care not to embarrass or humiliate the other in public FACEWORK /FACE-MAINTENANCE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLE  Dominating (competing)  Competing to win when people’s interests conflict  “I would be firm in pursuing my side of the issue”  Emotional expression  Managing conflict by disclosure or venting of feelings  “whatever my heart tells me, I would let these feelings show”  Passive aggressive  Making indirect accusations, showing resentment, procrastination, and other behaviors aimed at thwarting another’s resolution of conflict  “Without actually accusing anyone of being lazy, I’d try to make him or her feel guilty” FAC E-RESTORATION STRATEGIES  Avoiding (withdrawing)  Responding to conflict by withdrawing from open discussion  “I would avoid discussing my differences with the group member”  Obliging (giving in)  Accommodating or giving in to the wishes of another in a conflict situation  “I would give in to the wishes of the group member”  Compromising (negotiating)  Negotiating or bargaining, seeking a middle way  “I would use give -and -take so that a compromise could be made” FAC E -SAVING STRATEGIES  Integrating (problem solving)  Problem solving through open discussion; collaborating for a win -win resolution of conflict  “I would exchange accurate information with the group member to solve the problem together ”  Third-party help  Disputing parties seek the aid of a mediator, arbitrator, or respected neutral party to help them resolve their differences  “I would enlist the professor to aid us in solving the conflict” FAC E -SAVING STRATEGIES CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES  Face-restoration (Self -face) • Dominating (competing) • Emotional expression • Passive aggressive  Face- giving (Other -/Mutual -face) • Avoiding (withdrawing) • Obliging (giving in) • Compromising (negotiating) • Integrating (problem solving ) • Third-party help CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLE ? SELF-CONSTRUAL  Self-construal: self -image; degree to which people conceive of themselves as independent or interdependent self • Self: “I” -identity vs. “we” identity • Goals: self -fulfillment vs. group -fulfillment • Duty: responsible for me vs. responsible for us  The independent self values I- identity and is more self-face oriented; the interdependent self values we -identity and is more other -or mutual -face oriented SELF-CONSTRUAL INDIVIDUALISM/COLLECTIVISM  The difference lies in the degree of interdependence maintained in a society among its members  Face-negotiation theory suggests that facework/face- maintenance of people from individualistic cultures will be strikingly different from face work of people from collectivistic cultures FAC E-NEGOTIATION MODEL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT